Chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar arrived in Uttarakhand on Saturday for a two-day visit, and conducted an on-site inspection of border-area polling booths in Uttarkashi district and reviewed preparations for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Chief electoral officer of Uttarakhand BVRC Purushottam welcomed him at Jhala helipad in Uttarkashi.
Kumar inspected remote and strategically sensitive areas, including Harsil in the Gangotri assembly constituency, which lies close to the India-China border.
Kumar interacted with booth level officers (BLOs) and reviewed ground-level implementation of the SIR exercise. He also examined mapping work and the use of the BLO application– used for identifying and updating voter records by categorising entries such as: absent, shifted, deceased, duplicate or foreign voters– while also ensuring the inclusion of newly eligible voters who have turned 18 years of age.
Officials said that Kumar appreciated the work of BLO Mintu Devi and said her performance is an inspiration for the entire country.
He also praised all BLOs engaged in the SIR process and said that their dedication “strengthens the credibility and efficiency of the electoral system”. He expressed confidence that similar commitment would be reflected by BLOs across the country.
Kumar said, “Technology-enabled tools such as the BLO application are helping improve transparency and ensure more accurate voter lists at the grassroots level.” He emphasised that while eligible voters must be included without delay, the integrity of the electoral roll must be maintained through systematic verification.
Kumar also visited a special polling booth in Gangotri for sadhus and saints. He interacted with the ascetic voters appreciated their participation in the democratic process. The interaction, officials said, covered issues related to voting access and logistical challenges in high-altitude regions.
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The CEC accompanied by his wife, also offered prayers at the Gangotri Dham temple.
Kumar also reviewed SIR preparation and was briefed on by Purushottam on mapping exercises, updates in electoral rolls and the status of ASDD categories, including absent, shifted, deceased and duplicate entries.
Kumar will visit Dehradun on Sunday to review SIR progress and related administrative preparedness.
